The hooch tragedy that claimed 18 lives last month has exposed the lack of coordination between excise and district police officials.
This came to the fore when investigating officer Nigam Kumar Verma submitted a petition in a Gopalganj court, requesting it to issue an order attaching the property of the six named accused who are absconding since the tragedy.
And this was odd because the excise department has already confiscated the property of the absconding accused.
Tuesday's action against the absconders, including four women, followed a proclamation notice issued by the court on Monday. On Tuesday, the notices were pasted on the houses of the six accused at Khajurbanni.
"We have already initiated the process of attaching the property of the six absconders," investigating officer Nigam said, reiterating his resolve to take stern action against the accused. "The proclamation notices were pasted on their property today."
He further said: "The court is likely to issue property attachment order in a day or two. We have already approached the court for the purpose. We have no option but to move court to get property attachment orders, as raids to apprehend them have yielded no results."
Excise officials have already confiscated immovable assets of all the 14 named accused, including prime accused Nagina Choudhary. "Notices with regard to confiscation of property of the accused were pasted on August 22," a senior excise official said.
Gopalganj excise superintendent Priyaranjan said Gopalganj district magistrate Rahul Kumar had last month issued the order for confiscation of property of the named accused, including mastermind Nagina Choudhary and his brother Lalbabu Choudhary.
When apprised of possible confrontation between the two agencies, the excise superintendent said: "We are doing our job. I have nothing to say on the action initiated by the police."
He, however, pointed out that two separate FIRs have been lodged with the Gopalganj town police station. While the first FIR (347/16) is related to seizure of huge consignment of illicit liquor from Khajurbanni, the second FIR (348/16) deals with the death of Khajurbanni residents Harkhua Mor and Noniatoli.
The excise department has deployed 10 constables and a sub-inspector to take care of the seized property of the accused at Khajurbanni.
The seized assets included houses and 149 trees on land belonging to the accused.In addition, chief judicial magistrate Ram Awadhesh Prasad has issued production warrant against eight people who were arrested soon after the tragedy on August 17.
Altogether, 18 persons died and eight others fell ill after consuming liquor from illegal liquor vends at Khajurbanni, just 2km from the town police station, during Independence Day on August 15.
Efforts to contact Gopalganj district magistrate Rahul Kumar and superintendent of police Raviranjan Kumar proved futile.
